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Conference noted::equitation

Title:Equine Notes Conference
Notice:Topics List=4, Horses 4Sale/Wanted=150, Equip 4Sale/Wanted=151
Moderator:MTADMS::COBURNIO
Created:Tue Feb 11 1986
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2080
Total number of notes:22383

1916.0. "Premarin?" by STUDIO::BIGELOW (PAINTS; color your corral) Tue Aug 02 1994 14:33

    The previous note mentioned Premarin can someone tell me what it is and
    what it's used for, and why is it contraversial.
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1916.1I don't think there is a simple answer...BOUVS::OAKEYworth every penny...Tue Aug 02 1994 15:2522
�       <<< Note 1916.0 by STUDIO::BIGELOW "PAINTS; color your corral" >>>
�                                 -< Premarin? >-

�    The previous note mentioned Premarin can someone tell me what it is and
�    what it's used for, and why is it contraversial.

Premarin (as I recall) is a female hormone drug.  According to the FOA ad 
I'm looking at, it's a prescription drug currently being used by over 8 
million women with menopausal symptoms.

The controvery lies in that the primary source of the hormone is currently 
collected from the urine of pregnant mares.  The issue is how the mares are 
managed as well as the fate of the foals once they're born.

Recent developments have allowed the hormone to be manufactured without 
using the urine but it sounds (from the Equus article) that physicians are 
slow to switch from an old tried_and_true drug to a newer one (even if they 
are supposed to do the same thing).

In addition, it also begs the question of what would happen to these 75,000 
mares if they're no longer needed?

1916.2Okay, it's getting late in the day, but this concept is rather amusong!STUDIO::BIGELOWPAINTS; color your corralTue Aug 02 1994 17:4016
    I just wanted to make sure I read `pregnant mare urine farm'....talk
    about imagery!  I guess I can figure out where the name `Premarin'
    comes from.
    
    They really have these places?  Jeesh....I bet there are bunches of
    mare owners who would gladly give/sell the stuff!  Although I can't
    begin to imagine what it would involve!  Imagine going to a bar, and
    you meet someone, and talk turns to what one does for a living......
    Ah yes, I farm PMU.....
    
    So PETA's beef is that they (The urine farmers) have 75000 pregnant mares 
    laid up someplace, probably confined and restricted in movement.  and
    they collect urine all day.  The foals are probably sent to slaughter
    or auction or kept to make more urine.  It doesn't sound too cool, 
    but I'll bet there is more to the story.....as there usually is where
    PETA is concerned.